Classical conditioning

Question 1

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 1

Any stimulus that produces a natural response

Question 2

What is an unconditioned response?

Answer 2

A response that occurs naturally without any form of learning

Question 3

What is a neutral stimulus?

Answer 3

A stimulus which doesn’t produce a response in itself

Question 4

What is a conditioned stimulus?

Answer 4

A stimulus that has been associated with an unconditioned stimulus so that it produces the same response

Question 5

What is a conditioned response?

Answer 5

A behaviour that is shown in response to the learned stimulus

Question 6

What is generalisation?

Answer 6

When a conditioned response occurs to a stimulus because it is similar to the stimulus involved in learning

Question 7

What is discrimination?

Answer 7

Over time, the response may only occur to a specific stimulus rather than ones that are similar as well

Question 8

What is extinction?

Answer 8

When the conditioned response to the conditioned stimulus gradually disappears when it is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus

Question 9

What is spontaneous recovery?

Answer 9

Behaviour may suddenly occur again after extinction

Question 10

What was the aim of Pavlov?

Answer 10

To look at reflex behaviour and work out pathways to the brain

Question 11

What was the procedure of Pavlov?

Answer 11

1. Dog gets food after hearing footsteps and so every time a dog heard footsteps, it would salivate (food=US and salivate=UR)
2. The metronome was presented every time the dog was fed (metronome=NS)
3. After a few times, the dog would salivate with only hearing the metronome (metronome=CS and salivation=CR)

Question 12

What were the results of Pavolv?

Answer 12

• salivation started 9 seconds after hearing the metronome
• dogs salivated after hearing a similar noise to the metronome - stimulus generalisation

Question 13

Strengths of Pavolv

Answer 13

• Reliability - lab environment and use of standardised procedures - e.g metronome sound
• Validity - animals are unlikely to show demand characteristics meaning responses will be natural

Question 14

Weaknesses of Pavlov

Answer 14

• Ethics - Pavolv kept the dogs hungry by cutting a hole in their throats to ensure they didn’t digest the food
• Ecological validity - artificial environment and situation - most stimuli controlled by